Dickinson Four

First Year: Make Dickinson Yours

You chose Dickinson because you found your college “fit.” Now that you’re here, we want to welcome you into our campus community. The beginning of your Dickinson experience offers you a chance to deepen your sense of affinity and connection—both inside and outside the classroom. With a bit of initiative, you can make your place here.

The First Year

The first-year program at Dickinson is designed to help you make a successful transition. As a residential liberal-arts college, Dickinson is a “community of inquiry” organized to foster learning and growth: We want you to know that you belong here.

This means that we want you to forge meaningful connections—with other students, with faculty, with staff and with alumni. We want you to embrace difference—we’re a global campus dedicated to fostering an inclusive environment. We want you to develop a sense of your personal and civic priorities—how will you contribute to our campus community and the wider world?

Dickinson’s first-year program positions you to address these important priorities. Our campus will help by providing a careful balance of challenge and support. You will have numerous opportunities to connect with one another, with upper-level students, with staff and with faculty. One of the greatest factors shaping your transition, however, will be the level of motivation you bring to the experience: Dickinson is Dickinson because our students engage.

Dickinson Four Poster

Trying to picture the upcoming academic year? Wondering what the key events and milestones will be?

The Dickinson Four is a four-year experience that will help you address these questions (and many others!) with purpose and confidence. The Dickinson Four will help you chart your path. Through active engagement, you will make the most of your time at the college and—ultimately—prepare to demonstrate the value of your education in the wider world.